Public meeting on water quality in south and east Mayo

THE Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO), working on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water, is holding a community information meeting about water quality and water related issues in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District.

Under Ireland’s Water Action Plan, formerly the River Basin Management Plan, LAWPRO works in areas where water quality requires protection or restoration. LAWPRO collaborates with other stakeholders in these areas, which are called Priority Areas for Action (PAAs), to implement targeted water quality improvements.

The community information meeting on Tuesday, July 14, in Claremorris is being held to make more people aware of work to improve water quality in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District and to encourage as much engagement as possible with all stakeholders right across the community, including key agencies, special interest groups, voluntary, public and private sectors.

The meeting on July 14 takes place from 7 to 8.30 p.m. in the McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, where LAWPRO experts will take you through the work that has been carried out in the second cycle and what is being planned for the third cycle Water Action Plan. There will also be opportunities for the public to ask questions and talk to members of the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP).

Ahead of the meeting, Anthony Coleman, director of services with LAWPRO, said: “As we are coming to the end of second cycle work in the Claremorris-Swinford Municipal District area and begin implementation of the new Water Action Plan we would like to take this opportunity to welcome members of the public to come along and find out more about what’s happening in their local waterbodies and river catchments.

“We hope to engage as many people as possible at this meeting in Claremorris because public participation and support is key to achieving water quality improvements. We would also like to thank all those whether in a voluntary or paid capacity, working in their local areas to help make a difference to their natural waters and the biodiversity that live in and around them.”

The public meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the McWilliam Park Hotel and light refreshments will be available. To register for the event, visit the LAWPRO Eventbrite page.

To find out more about the work of the Local Authority Waters Programme, visit lawaters.ie.